Latter Day Saint

Latter Day Saint
Name	Latter Day Saint movement
Founder	Joseph Smith
Founded date	1820s
Founded place	Palmyra, New York
Main branches	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Community of Christ, Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Scripture	Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price
Headquarters	Salt Lake City, Utah (largest body)
Members	estimates vary

Latter Day Saint

The Latter Day Saint movement is a family of religious traditions originating in the early 19th century in the United States, centered on the prophetic claims and restorationist theology of Joseph Smith. The movement produced several distinct denominations including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Community of Christ (formerly Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), and various Mormon fundamentalism groups such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Its influence spans religious, cultural, and political spheres across North America, South America, Europe, and the Pacific Islands.

Definition and Terminology

The term used by adherents varies among bodies: members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often prefer Mormon as a colloquial identifier, while the Community of Christ and other denominations employ differing names reflecting institutional histories like the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints schism. Scholarly literature uses labels such as Restorationist, Restorationist movement, or simply the movement’s historic nomenclature; debates over nomenclature reference cases such as Kirtland, Ohio practices and the 19th-century controversies around polygamy tied to communities like Nauvoo, Illinois and Salt Lake Valley. Terminology also distinguishes scriptures such as the Book of Mormon from ecumenical texts like the King James Version of the Bible.

Historical Origins and Founders

Origins trace to early 19th-century revivalism in upstate New York known as the Burned-over district, where Joseph Smith reported visionary experiences including First Vision claims and produced the Book of Mormon following events involving Moroni. Early institutional milestones include organization in Palmyra, New York, establishment of a gathering point in Kirtland, Ohio with leaders like Oliver Cowdery and Sidney Rigdon, the construction of the Kirtland Temple, migration to Nauvoo, Illinois under Brigham Young after Smith’s death in Carthage, Illinois, and eventual westward migration to Salt Lake Valley culminating in the Salt Lake settlement. Schisms spawned leaders such as James Strang, Joseph Smith III, and Amasa Lyman, producing bodies like the Strangite and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Beliefs and Theology

Central theology includes belief in ongoing revelation mediated through prophets such as Joseph Smith and later presidents like Brigham Young and John Taylor; restorationist claims assert renewal of primitive Christian authority lost after the apostolic era, with priesthood offices patterned after biblical figures like Peter, James, and John. Canonical texts commonly cited are the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, interpreted alongside the Bible; theological distinctives address doctrine on God the Father, Jesus Christ, and concepts of salvation and exaltation articulated by leaders including Wilford Woodruff and Heber J. Grant. Controversial historical doctrines such as plural marriage involved figures like John C. Bennett and influenced federal legislation like the Edmunds-Tucker Act affecting property and leadership. Divergent theological trajectories produced differing views on baptism, priesthood ordination, and prophetic succession evident in denominations led by Emma Smith's descendants or organizations like The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite).

Practices and Worship

Worship practices vary: the largest body emphasizes weekly sacrament meeting services, temple rites in edifices like the Salt Lake Temple, missionary programs modeled after early missionary endeavors to Great Britain under leaders such as Orson Pratt, and ordinances including baptism, confirmation, and temple endowments. Other groups prioritize sacraments in a different liturgical form, relief work through organizations like Latter-day Saint Charities, and community festivals tied to locales such as Independence, Missouri and historic sites in Kirtland Temple. Ceremonial practices—temple ordinances, sealing rituals, and the laying on of hands—reflect theological emphases promoted by authorities like Gordon B. Hinckley and earlier presidents, while splinter groups maintain distinct rites preserved by leaders such as Warren Jeffs.

Organizational Structure and Denominations

Organizational models include hierarchical, centralized systems exemplified by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and more congregational or synodal forms present in Community of Christ with a President and Council of Twelve Apostles and a history tied to the reorganization led by Joseph Smith III. Numerous denominations arose through succession disputes, including Strangites, Bickertonites, Cutlerites, and contemporary fundamentalist Mormonism groups such as the Apostolic United Brethren. Institutional developments intersect with civil law cases like Reynolds v. United States and political engagement in regions such as Utah and Idaho.

Cultural Impact and Demographics

The movement has had significant cultural influence through migration patterns to the American West, urban development in Salt Lake City, Utah, contributions to education via institutions like Brigham Young University, and international missionary expansion into nations such as Brazil, Philippines, and South Korea. Demographic trends show concentrations in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and diaspora communities across Canada, Mexico, and Chile, with scholarship by historians like Richard Bushman and sociologists like Rodney Stark documenting growth, retention, and conversion patterns. Cultural artifacts include music by composers associated with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, architecture exemplified by Salt Lake Temple and Kirtland Temple, and legal-political interactions involving figures like Mitt Romney and court rulings shaping religious liberty and practice.

Category:Restorationism